Nope! No dictator here! Nothing to see! Move along!

[amadeus]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7040800.stm

Concert ban for 'Chavez critic'

By Will Grant
Americas editor, BBC News

A popular Spanish singer has been banned from performing in a Caracas stadium over remarks he made about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

A government minister accused Alejandro Sanz of criticising Mr Chavez three years ago while touring Venezuela.

The musician has been banned from staging a concert at a state-run stadium but the government says he can perform at any privately owned venue.

Some 15,000 fans hoped to see Sanz at the gig in the capital on 1 November.

Expulsion

The pop singer may have sold 21 million albums and won more than a dozen Latin Grammys, but the Venezuelan higher education minister, Luis Acuna, is not among his admirers.

He accused the musician of railing against Mr Chavez and his Bolivarian revolution.

Mr Acuna asked how the Venezuelan people would respond to such an artist using the state-controlled stadium.

The comments which sparked the controversy were made by the singer during his last tour of Venezuela in 2004, when he said he did not like Mr Chavez.

He also said that he did not like a number of other presidents elsewhere.

And he made reference to a controversial recall referendum against Mr Chavez which was brought by the opposition to try to remove him from power.

So far, Sanz has made no comment on the government's decision.

It comes a few months after Mr Chavez warned foreigners they faced expulsion if they came to Venezuela to criticise him or his political agenda.

Move along! No dictators here!

 

[Bill3000]

...ban? ...wow.

 

[Japanrocks12]

Chavez's nutcasy-ness bores me.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

According to Babelfish, here's what he said:

Alexander Sanz accuses Chávez to turn "the jewel of Latin America" into "a sad and poor country."

Who cares. It's a state run stadium; in the west if you're critical of the government you're not going to get government endorsement of an event. Do you believe that Stephen Colbert would get invited to be the keynote speaker at CPAC?

 

[cubsfan6506]

Stephen colbert was invited to (speak) the white house correspondents association dinner.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephe...hite_House_Correspondents'_Association_Dinner
Crosspost with Bill

 

[Bill3000]

Do you believe that Stephen Colbert would get invited to be the keynote speaker at CPAC?

Perhaps not CPAC, but I think this suffices.

 

[amadeus]

Who cares. It's a state run stadium; in the west if you're critical of the government you're not going to get government endorsement of an event.

Well, of course not, and it isn't like you could become New Jersey's Poet Laureate or something.

Do you believe that Stephen Colbert would get invited to be the keynote speaker at CPAC?

Is CPAC a state-run organization? Nope. Do they hold it at a state-owned facility? Nope.

 

[MobBoss]

According to Babelfish, here's what he said:

Alexander Sanz accuses Chávez to turn "the jewel of Latin America" into "a sad and poor country."

Who cares. It's a state run stadium; in the west if you're critical of the government you're not going to get government endorsement of an event. Do you believe that Stephen Colbert would get invited to be the keynote speaker at CPAC?

Pure. Comedy. Gold.

Nice going there Pasi.

 

[Stewbert 08]

Omg that artist insulted the honor of the nation where he was born and became a success by making a mildly political comment! Stone him!

 

[Japanrocks12]

yeah, nice going pasi. the White House keynote thing is close enough.

 

[Bill3000]

Omg that artist insulted the honor of the nation where he was born and became a success by making a mildly political comment! Stone him!

Y'see, the difference is that the market decided there.

 

[Stewbert 08]

Free market really DOES solve everything!

 

[RedRalph]

I wish people would consider, before they jump to criticise everything Chavez does, whether there are equivalents in their own, or other countries which are not deemed dictatorships... in most countries if you back an illegal coup against the president, your TV channel would be shut down for all eternity, not just not have its rterrestrial licence revoked. In most countries, the state will not pay for and accomadate outspoken critics of the govt to play. In most countries, when you win 8 elections in a row which are certified as fair and free by the EU and the Carter foundation, people accept you are the democratically-elected legitimate head of Govt.

but apparently Hugo Chavez has to be held to a whole different set of standards. this is just pathetic clutching at straws.

We dont like him, so

1. try a coup. leaders of said coup are completely inept and oppsed by the public. (Oh, and it wasnt a coup, it was a "power vacuum". If a group of right-wing army officers threaten to sheel the White House, take Bush off to an island to be executed and revoke the constitution, that will be a coup, but when those exact event happen in Venezuela, its not a coup, its a power vacuum).

2. Economics. Left-wing govts are compltely incompetent economically, right? try and shut down the oil complany. Wait, that didnt work either. The economy is doing quite weel. Tell people Chavez has nothing to do with that, he's just lucky that oil prices are high (Note: this works with Putin too) lets try...

3. Democracy. surely when the people can vote, they wont return this commie bastard. huh? whats that? they vote himk in again and again? and again and again and again and again? Well, it must have been fraud. Lets get several internationally recognised organisations on certifying elections to show up the frau... what? they say it was fair and free? OK, lets try....

4. Pathetic attampts at demonising him by mass-publicising the fact that the Venezuelan state wont pay for a Chavez critic to play, have Pat Robertson call for his assassination, criticism him for behaviour towards a media outlet, whihc, in any western state given the same set of circumstanses would be considered incredibly moderate and forgiving...

FFS. Hes still selling the oil to the west, theres no coherent opposition, the majority of the population are clearly and have repeatedly been show to back him, just give it up... accept not every leader is going to like the west, accept sometiomes deocracy will throw up presidents you dont like, and move on.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Pure. Comedy. Gold.
Nice going there Pasi.

Maybe there worried about a "TIT GATE" aka Janet Jacksons boobies.
Next we'll be focusing on homosxual behaviour in public bathrooms

 

[Enkidu Warrior]

The BBC headlining this as a ban is misleading and representative of much of the western media's mishandling of Venezuela. Since when does denying the use of state venues, while otherwise granting someone free access to perform anywhere they like amount to a ban? I suppose the White House is going to invite the Dixie Chicks to play in a state owned venue just to prove that Bush isn't a dictator.

I don't much like the company Chavez keeps, but his democratic credentials, while not perfect, are pretty solid. He's been much more tolerant of dissent, in much more hostile circumstances, than most leaders of established democracies would have been.

I'd really recommend watching Chavez: Inside the Coup, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. It's a fascinating documentary, and not just because of the politics involved.

 

[RedRalph]

I'd really recommend watching Chavez: Inside the Coup, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. It's a fascinating documentary, and not just because of the politics involved.

Seconded. Real first-hand scenes of history in the making

 

[FredLC]

I for once agree with you, Amadeus. Chavez is turning fast into a dictator. I hope Venezuela come to it's senses and manage to do away with the guy.

Regards .

 

[RedRalph]

I for once agree with you, Amadeus. Chavez is turning fast into a dictator. I hope Venezuela come to it's senses and manage to do away with the guy.

Regards .

Bearing in mind the points I made in my first post, how is he a dictator?

 

[Ecofarm]

In the US, the state does not control entertainment. We do not have a state funded film company (like Chavez is spending BIG BUCKS on). Can anyone name a "venue" that is state owned? Perhaps we should be more disturbed by the existance of state owned stadiums holding select private preformances, than by the ban of a particular artist to utilize those state run entertainment (propoganda?) venues.

Public television is the closest/only thing we have, and that rails against the government every day - no-one get's banned by the government there. It's policies are determined by its board of directors. George Bush, or any president, cannot ban the Dixie Chicks from appearing on PBS. And no, political events paid for by political parties with political donations (not taxes) are not the same thing.

The fact is, Chavez has installed government run propoganda machines, in the form of government owned venues and a film studio. This is very dictator/totalitarian-like, anyway you cut it.

 

[RedRalph]

In the US, the state does not control entertainment. We do not have a state funded film company (like Chavez is spending BIG BUCKS on). Can anyone name a "venue" that is state owned? Perhaps we should be more disturbed by the existance of state owned stadiums holding select private preformances, than by the ban of a particular artist to utilize those state run entertainment (propoganda?) venues. Public television is the closest thing we have, and that rails against the government every day.

And no, political events paid for by political parties with political donations (not taxes) are not the same thing.

State owned stadiums... terrifying alright. they have them all over Europe. dont lose too much sleep over the idea